Mark of a sky pirate
by Seina Reanna
Summary: The adventures of two female sky pirates and their effect on what happened after the game ended. Assumes Revenant Wings never happened. Balthier/OC
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot bunnies who attack me with ideas._

**Warning-** Balthier/OC. If I said the of OC pairing I would spoil some of the story so just be warned another FFXII guy will be paired with an OC.

Notes: This chapter is **before** the events of the game. The next chapter or two will be during the game.

**Chapter 1- Many types of marks**

It was a nice sunny day in Rabanastre and two female sky pirates where at the bar in town looking for hunts and info on treasures they could steal. One had blue eyes and long brown hair appearing to be the older of the two while the younger had short blond hair and brown eyes.

"So there is nothing good today, we are not going to go fight a slime." The younger one said as the older on sighed.

"It is slime or we end up going out in the desert to kill an overgrown snake. Why is there nothing good to steal anymore?"

"Who knows Echo? Everyone wants to be a pirate nowadays so there isn't much treasure left. I guess we will go kill the slime, you know Fira right?"

Echo nodded and looked at her partner. "Wait Alyss maybe we should get new bolts for your crossbow. You know that I am only good at magicks and should you get knocked out I would be dead."

"Okay to the weapons shop and then the sewer."

After picking up new bolts for Alyss the and they set out for Lowtown.

Once there a kid ran into them and apologized. "Hey sorry."

"No problem, I bet that happens a lot with how dark it is down here." Alyss said but before the boy could run off Echo grabbed his arm.

"Hand back our money and I will let you go. I know time are tough with the death of King Rasler and Queen Ashe but that is no reason to steal our money."

The boy handed back the bag and left the two.

When the two made it to the waterway they saw the mark was already killed.

"Great there goes our paycheck." Echo said noticing the two figures walking out from behind a pillar.

"Well I am terribly sorry if we caused you to lose your pay."

"Honest mistake. Excuse my rudeness but have we met before?"

"Probably not, you may have seen our faces on wanted posters though."

"I see but you in particular look familiar." The man said looking at Echo.

"My name is Echolensa...not that it would mean anything to a hunter. Maybe you just saw me on the street before or something. We will go do the hunt with the snake and be at the bar later if you want to further investigate us."

"We are not thieves, we are sky pirates and I think we will take you up on that offer but before you go what is the other woman's name?"

"I am Alyss."

The man nodded and turned to leave. The Viera then spoke up for the first time. "We will introduce ourselves should you live through your hunt."

With that the women head out for the desert and found their mark. "Alyss with one more shot it should be dead. I will ready a water spell if not."

Alyss shot her crossbow but got poisoned first and killed the snake with her shot picking up the skin

"The things we do for money. Echo you better be readying Posiona."

Echo cast the healing spell and then cured her partner.

"The things we do indeed. Who drinks wine with snake skin mixed in anyway?" Echo asked walking back to the town.

"Well let's return to the bar and hand this in. Maybe we can meet that cute guy again."

Upon entering The Sandsea bar the women gave the skin to the owner and noticed the man and Viera.

"It looks like you have succeeded. I am Balthier and this is my partner Fran. Please join us we owe you for stealing your mark."

"We are bus-"

"Yes of course! Come on Echo it will be fun."

"You are only 19, you can't drink anything."

Balthier laughed at the little fight. "We don't have to tell anyone, let her live a bit."

Echo shook her head and sat down as Alyss had a huge smile on her face.

"You two are sky pirates then? It is strange we have never run into each other before this if that is the case. Where do you usually work?"

"We are usually out in the lands destroyed by the war like the Necrohol of Nabudis but we never fight there, we run like the wind and get the treasure. Other then that we work a lot in the desert here doing hunts because treasure is so scarce now." Alyss stated being the more friendly of the two.

"Interesting, so what is your ship called? All good sky pirates name their ships. I called mine the Strahl."

"Stella. We have just started out though, we are not famous such as yourself."

The waitress interrupted and asked them for their orders.

"I will have whatever the lady here wants. As for the other two I have no idea."

Fran ordered some water and bread and Echo ordered a glass of wine without talking to much.

"I will have some wine with a salad covered in cheese."

The waitress who happened to be a teen subbing in with blond hair in braids nodded and left to get the orders.

"If I may ask how did you two deiced to become pirates of all things?"

Alyss looked down and became a bit solemn. "We where both running from different things so we thought why not escape to the sky? We just became pirates out of need for money and the fact we weren't waiting tables ever again like we did to afford a ship."

"I see. It seems everyone is running from something doesn't it? I wonder if any of us will ever have the strength to stop running."

The waitress returned with their orders. Echo and Fran began to talk with each other.

"They seem to be getting along well. Then again he has a way with the women. I am shocked you aren't going nuts over him."

"I guess I am immune to his charm. He seems nice but not my type. I will just drink my wine and let Alyss pursue her 'free adventure and love' as she calls it."

"You do not desire the same? You where hurt by the one you loved then?"

"You could say that, I wouldn't say I loved him though."

Fran left it at that knowing she wouldn't get more out of the woman. She turned her attention to Balthier and Alyss. She didn't want to have to carry a drunk Balthier back to the ship.

Alyss ate her salad in peace while Balthier discussed what him and Fran would go do for money in hard times.

"Alyss took her first sip of wine and smiled. "Echo why did you never let me drink this before it is great." Echo rolled her eyes and took a small sip of her drink in response.

"You know Balthier...This is the first time in a long time I have had a fun night out. Thank you for that."

"I could never deny a woman in need of a nice night out. It is getting late and I have to leave tomorrow on a lead for treasure but perhaps we will meet again."

"We will meet again!" Alyss said starting to show she was not ready for alcohol in any way shape or form.

After Balthier and Fran had left the two women went back to their ship.

"Hey Echo do you think we will see them again?" Alyss asked as they got ready to go to sleep. They shared a room because all the other space was storage.

"I think we will see them again. You should get some sleep though." Echo stated as she was changing the pillow cases out.

That night Alyss made a promise she would pursue her adventure and free love, by finding Balthier again. Also the free love part was something she had to work on with Echo.

When they had first met Alyss remembered that Echo was wearing what looked like an engagement ring but she said it was a family heirloom and hasn't worn it since. It looked expensive for a heirloom but perhaps it was one although to Alyss it was more fun to think that Echo had some mysterious romance in the past.

Alyss knew Echo better then to think that about her. She was always serious and usually her plans where well thought out. If she said their was no past romance she meant it.

Neither of them really knew what the other desired to get away from but they just knew they had to run and that was enough to have made them partners and friends. Then what would happen if Balthier was right and one of them stood up to the past? Would this all be forgotten?

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Author notes: This is a fic for a friend of mine. That being said time to move to the title and chapter titling.

This chapter really was just titled "Many types of marks" based on the fact at the end Balthier is now Alyss' mark she will hunt.


	2. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: Same as before._

_Warning- Refer to Prologue._

**Chapter 2- Revolution?**

It had been months since that day at Rabanastre and Alyss hadn't found where Balthier had run off to. She followed many leads even ones from people who given they found out who she was would turn to kill her in a second.

None of them panned out. She even got arrested to get thrown in Nalbina Dungeon after hearing he may have been arrested but all that lead to was Echo having to pay the city to let her go.

When they had stopped at Bhujerba after getting Alyss out of prison Echo said she had matters to attend to and left the inn. Alyss didn't want to sit around an inn room doing nothing so she followed Echo to the home of Marquis Ondore. Alyss began to wonder what business Echo would have there but put it aside whatever it was it wasn't her place to pry.

Upon walking back to the inn Alyss overheard townspeople talking about some kid impersonating Captain Basch. Why would you want to impersonate that traitor? Who knows maybe the kid was crazy.

Echolensa on the other hand was seated at the table of Marquis Ondore across from the man himself.

"So what name do you go by now? I am sure you have forsaken your birth name."

"Echolensa but please call me Echo."

The Marquis seemed unsettled to see this woman again. He stood up and walked over to her on his cane.

"I do not know of any Echolensa. I do know of a Belladonna Aurore Landis Solidor, the daughter of the leader of the Republic of Landis."

Echolensa was truly Belladonna. Belladonna had after the fall of her families land been promised to one of the Solidor men. Vayne Solidor was the one closest to her in age so they where married in secret at night at the palace.

Belladonna never argued with her husband for as power hungry as the man was he never did do anything to harm her. In fact he taught her how to use basic magicks and how to fight. He was a good man who had lost himself to power and his family name.

"Belladonna is dead. I am Echolensa now and I desire no more then that. I faked my death in a Resistance attack for a reason."

Echo got out of her chair and got to the door when she was stopped.

"Why pick the name Echolensa? It isn't even close to Belladonna."

Echo got a little smirk on her face a turned to look the man in the face after he asked the question.

"If I used something close to Belladonna I would be discover. I dyed my hair and grew it out for so no one would ever relate me to her. As for the name Echolensa the first place I stopped after faking my death was a shop that sold echo herbs and the 'echo' part just made me think of Echolensa."

"Take care Lady Echolensa, also I ask of you not to return here ever."

"Of course not, I just wanted to make sure you where still alive."

Echo began to leave the home and she began to wonder what Alyss was doing, she was probably running around yelling at people asking where Balthier was.

Contrary to Echo's thought Alyss was in the inn room looking out the window. She had begun to reflect on why she was traveling the skies with Echo in the first place.

Alyss was born in Nalbina but the Plague from Rabanastre had spread to Nalbina and killed her parents when she was young. Unlike Rabanastre these children had nowhere to go and they where put to work until the time of the war in which Alyss had fled for Rabanastre and had lived in Lowtown.

Didn't spend much time in Rabanastre because she got a job picking up orders for the weapons shop and they had after a week offered her home in the upstairs section.

After the war one day she on an errand in Nalbina but arrived late and had to get an inn room.

The inn keeper had made a mistake and gave Alyss a room that already belonged to someone and that someone was Echo. It turned out all the rooms where booked but Echo didn't mind sharing her room and that was when they first met and had come up with the plan to travel the world together on the grounds doing it alone would be dull.

After a few months of work they had enough money for an airship but they really didn't desire to work behind counters should a problem arise with it so Alyss had the idea to become sky pirates. Echo at first was against it but after seeing the greater profit Alyss brought quickly changed her mind.

"Mom and Dad must be upset their daughter is nothing more then a sky pirate. I will make you proud...someday." Alyss said as she fell down on one of the beds.

Love was the one thing Alyss had left that got her through the night other then Echo's friendship but even then Echo hid things from her. She just wanted that love that you could be totally honest with someone and they would be honest with you. She desired it so much she traveled the world for this love because it was what helped her stay together in rough times. The dream one day someone would love her and get rid of all the emptiness she felt.

When Echo returned to the inn room she saw Alyss asleep. Echo often debated telling her the truth but the part of her that told her Alyss would leave kept winning in the end.

Echo went down to the inn kitchen to get two plates of food to take up to the room hoping this would all blow over.

The local gossip was about the impending war and Vayne Solidor possibly taking power from his ill father. If the man died Vayne could easily take total power and then a war would be waged. It was sad how power could so easily take control of people.

There where also rumors that Captain Basch was alive that shocked Echo, she had known the man he was a noble man from her homeland and she never believed for a second he would have turned like that, now his twin brother would have but that was a story for another time.

After getting the plates of the food she paid and went up to the room and woke Alyss.

"Hey I got us some food. I thought you might be hungry is you asked around about Balthier. All that walking would make one tired."

"Thank you Echo, you are too much like a sister you know that?" Alyss said taking the plate and beginning to eat as yelling was heard outside.

Echo went to open the window and almost fell out of the window upon hearing what the man was yelling. The word echoed in her head and she did fall back on the floor.

'Emperor Gramis is dead and Vayne Solidor has taken over.'

Alyss ran over to help Echo up and got her on one of the beds and heard the yelling from outside the window.

"No wonder you fell over! Vayne Solidor taking over as Emperor is a scary thought. I knew Emperor Gramis was ill but to die at a time like this when you could cut the tension of war with a butter knife."

Echo was lost in her own mind and began to talk without thinking. "This is not happening..."

"I know it sucks but will you be alright there Echo, you said you where from Archades so maybe this upsets you more." Alyss sat down next to Echo and wrapped her arms around her to try to calm her down.

Echo put her wedding ring out of her pocket and showed it to Alyss.

"My name is Belladonna Aurore Landis Solidor, I faked my death a few months after my forced marriage to Vayne Solidor. I went to see the Marquis today on those grounds." Echo said through her tears.

Alyss ignored the admittance of identity, she knew who Belladonna was and when you thought about it Echo did look like her aside from her hair length and color but that wasn't important now. The one person who had become like family to Alyss was in pain and getting rid of that pain and was all that mattered.

Alyss held Echo until she went to sleep from crying and then tucked her in the bed. They could discuss this in the morning should morning ever come.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

A/N: A bit of an angsty chapter but backstories where needed for the OC's so angst it is. The next chapters should be happier then this one.


	3. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: Same as before._

_Warning- Refer to Prologue._

**Chapter 3- True Treasure**

It was two months after the announcement came down that Vayne Solidor had died in battle. Echo and Alyss where still looking for Balthier but Echo had become more detached then usual after hearing Vayne was dead. She had cut her hair shorter also after Vayne's death.

Thy where in Archades when it happened, the event that would cause a whole new chapter for them.

That event was Larsa Solidor spotting Echo when they where heading to the inn. Larsa was out walking the town with his guard who happened to be Basch.

"Excuse me for saying this but you look like a darker haired Belladonna Landis."

Echo leaned down and smiled at the boy. "Maybe because I am a darker haired Belladonna, here id the wedding ring you you don't believe me." Echo took the ring from her pocket and showed it to Larsa, it was one of a kind so it easily proved her identity.

"Bella I am so sorry about Vayne. I didn't think you where alive but if I would have known-"

"Things would be no different. Vayne would still be dead because his obsession with power. Larsa if it isn't too much trouble could we stay at the palace for a bit? We need repairs on our airship and they said it may take a while. That is what I get for letting Alyss fly us into a cliff."

"It wasn't my fault I didn't want to kill the birds!"

Larsa tapped both of them brining attention back to himself. "You are both welcome at the palace. Bella I think it would be best if Basch escorted you bot to the palace. You may sleep in your old room."

"Thank you young Lord Larsa." Both the women said in unison as they followed Basch to the palace.

The two made idle conversation with Basch about how great it was his name had been cleared until the arrived at Echo's old room which also was Vayne's room.

"There are other guests joining us for dinner so you may want to freshen up and change your outfits." Basch stated as he opened the door for the women.

The two went in the room and Alyss was in awe. The room had a theme of dark green and there where a lot of golden items laying around. The bed was king sized and held to the dark green theme of the room. There was one thing Alyss noticed on the night table by the bed when Echo had gone into the bathroom joined to the room to change.

The item was a framed picture of Vayne and Belladonna at their wedding posing for the picture. Right below the picture was a ring that looked like the one Echo carried around.

Alyss set the ring down after looking at it and went to read a book while waiting for her turn to wash off.

Alyss didn't find much interesting until she came across as plain book that had no markings on the cover that was between ' The History of the Republic of Landis' and 'Culture's and Customs of Landis'.

Alyss opened the book to see nice neat handwriting on each page. It could have been Echo's diary when she lived here...but remembering what Echo's handwriting looks like this wasn't her diary.

After reading the first part it was painfully obvious it was Vayne's. Who else would write about House Solidor so much? After flipping through several pages of pointless talk of past events and his involvement in them she came to the part about the fall of Landis.

'_The Republic of Landis had fallen to our control after the death of their elected leader on the battlefield. There was however one element of Landis that the Senate was in love with. The daughter of the fallen leader Basil, Belladonna Landis. _

_I had met her before when she was younger but she had grown much since the last time I saw her. She was a grown woman now and probably would have grown to be a leader like her father. _

_The Senate made a suggestion that Belladonna marry into House Solidor as an act of peace. It was an obvious plan to slow me down in succession if I was married a family would come first and any plans of power would be put aside. _

_I didn't want to marry, it seemed idiotic to marry in secret for peace. They planned to tell the public when the tension of war was gone but that is when Dr. Cid came to visit me with Venat that I understood I had to marry the woman. Venat insisted that one day Belladonna would be a great help to House Solidor given she married into it._

_After our marriage I knew the woman still hated the empire for killing her father so I did nothing to her other then allow her to stay in my room. I know writing this as she is asleep next to me is wrong to say as I should have written it sooner but she is my wife and if I could make her forgive our actions and even have a hope of having her respect, her friendship, and her love I would be a lucky man.'_

Alyss flipped a little further to the fake death of Belladonna to see what reaction it would hold. Maybe this was because Alyss always loved a tragic love story but she couldn't tear herself away from the book. Sure it was invading privacy of another person but he is dead anyway, he can't complain about it right?

_'This morning I received news that while she was visiting Draklor Laboratories and attack by the Resistance had taken her life and they had taken her corpse. They probably wanted to bury her in her homeland or some nonsense along those lines. It looked like Venat was wrong about Belladonna being an asset to House Solidor unless her death could be used but even I am not so low to disgrace her memory._

_Belladonna Aurore Landis Solidor is dead and my hope that I could be a better person with her. Goodbye Bella, I wish I had a chance to win you over properly before your death but I will see you again when I die. I am sorry I never told you that I lo-'_

Echo interrupted her reading to tell her the bathroom was now free. Echo wasn't looking at what she was reading so Alyss decided to put it back and not tell Echo about it. Vayne was dead knowing that he loved her would help nothing. Alyss turned to see Echo was out of her fighting clothes and in a blue noble looking dress.

Alyss went to the closet and found a dress that looked like it would fit her and put it on knowing she wouldn't get a bath in before dinner.

After she finished dressing Basch knocked on the door and led them to the dinning room where Larsa was seated with his two guests. Alyss' eyes widened upon seeing it was Balthier and Fran.

"Balthier I finally found you!" Alyss screamed as she ran over to him.

"Well if it isn't the women we stole a hunt from months ago. I didn't think we would meet under such circumstances." Balthier said looking at the two as they sat down.

Echo spoke up first. "Nor did I Judge Ffamran. I couldn't believe I didn't see it sooner actually. Anyway what is your business here?"

"We left our airship with a partner and need fair for a trip to Rabanastre to get it back. You could however give us a ride, you have an airship." Balthier suggested as Alyss jumped at the suggestion and accepted.

Larsa also wanted to go to speak with Queen Ashe and Al-Cid Magrace who had been spending a lot of time in Rabanastre and ha been rumored to be courting Queen Ashe.

"Of course you can all go with us. Hey Echo I don't suppose you have any money as the Representative from Landis laying around do you?" Alyss asked.

"Oh no, I am no representative my father was the leader that doesn't mean I would have been elected to it myself. Anyway I believe that Arcadian government holds all the money from Landis. I have no entitlement to it."

"You certainly would be the next leader though! I mean look at you, you are prim and proper and mind your words around others. You would have been elected for sure unless the people hated your father but it sounds like his people loved him."

Larsa interrupted. "I have a reason for this as well. I found some research Dr. Cid was doing and I wanted Balthier to know. I will let you look at it after the meal."

After the dinner Larsa took them to Draklor to see Cid's and Balthier began looking through the papers as Alyss was reading some of the research and Echo was looking at a stone on the desk.

"There is nothing here except insane ramblings of Venat saying that stone Echo has was important. This isn't research it is the deluded words of a man who was insane." Balthier said as Fran bent over and then fell to the ground.

"Are you alright Fran?" Alyss asked her as Fran looked at the stone in Echo's hand.

"Mist bleeds form that stone as if it has chosen a master. It seems to have awaken by her touch." The stone began to shine green and Echo set it down.

"What does that mean exactly? I am not of descent from Raithwall like Queen Ashe so if it was like Deifacted Nethicite why would is awaken to me? I am not of noble blood by far and to my knowledge I am not descend from any people who could have used this." Echo asked as she didn't want to believe this.

"It looks like Fran and I will be joining you permanently now. I can't let you wonder around with a stone that has power alone. I would be a horrible leading man if I did that. We will be using the Strahl as soon as I get it back though. Just think of us as your body guards."

Alyss was happy as could be about this revelation. It meant Balthier would be joining them for a while at least until they found out what the stone did and why it chose Echo. Echo on the other had was scarred of what this could mean for her. Sure she wanted adventure but this wasn't what she had in mind.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

A/N: Can anyone say that in Vayne's journal entry when he mentions that Venat thought Echo/Belladonna would be useful is foreshadowing?


	4. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: Same as before._

_**Warning- Refer to Prologue.**_

**Chapter 4- Kiss me Good-bye**

The newly formed group of Alyss, Echo, Balthier, Fran, Larsa, and Basch headed off to Rabanastre taking the stone with them.

"Well this is Stella our airship. Feel free to look around and I will go make something to eat before we go." Echo said walking off to the small kitchen area.

"Well this is an impressive ship I will give you that. Do you do all the repairs your self Alyss?" Balthier asked looking around at the ship.

"Of course, Echo helps out of course but I am the one dealing with all the parts and things like that."

"Well you have done a fine job. Where is the room I will be staying in?"

"Down the hall, we had the storage space cleared and bunk beds put in."

"A bunk bed, I guess it beat a hammock or the floor. I will be resting until the the food is done."

Alyss felt bad for putting him on a bunk and and grabbed his arm and lead him to the room she shared with Echo which had a king sized bed they shared. "We aren't using it now so feel free to nap on it. If you need anything feel free to ask."

"You would give me your bed to rest on so I didn't have to suffer sleeping on a bunk bed? Thank you."

Alyss blushed a bit and left the room to go see if Fran, Larsa or Basch needed anything.

She found Larsa reading a book so she looked to Fran.

"I think we should talk." Fran said leading Alyss to one of the bedrooms with a bunk bed.

"I know many people think Balthier and I have some kind of love between us. To an extent we do but it is the love a partner not a lover. You share the same love with Echo. I have seen how you look at him and how you brightened up when you saw him after all that time just as I saw how upset Echo become when Vayne's name is mentioned. I am not your competition for him."

Alyss nodded and was thankful for that. It had been a worry of hers that Fran may have loved the man.

What came next Alyss didn't expect at all. She walked past the kitchen to see Echo stirring a pot of soup but that wasn't the shocking part. The person cutting the vegetables was Basch and he was wearing Alyss' pink apron that had frills on the bottom of it.

Alyss burst out laughing as seeing this and Echo turned to glare at her.

"Alyss he just wanted to help. In fact we had a nice talk about Landis while putting together the meal. Really I don't think he looks horrible in the pink apron at all and for some reason it doesn't amuse me. Thank you for your help Basch it was much appreciated."

"Anything for a woman in need. I would feel wrong if I didn't help you out Echo. You have grown up a lot since you where a child. You are a beautiful woman now and I am sure you father would be proud." Basch leaned over to put vegetables in the soup and took a little spoonful in to taste it. "It seems your cooking has gotten better as well."

Echo laughed a bit a got an embarrassed blush on her face and took a spoonful as well.

"You are right, I am a way better cook then when I almost caught the house on fire because I wanted to make cookies. Anyway we should be done soon Alyss so why not go speak with Larsa?"

Alyss was a little shocked those two where acting so friendly with each other. The thought entered her head what they would be like as couple but she quickly negated it because Basch and Echo where too homely for each other. They made great friends but they would make a horribly dull couple, they seemed to have a brother/sister relationship budding if anything.

Larsa was still reading his book and Alyss didn't want to disturb him so she went back to her room to grab a spare apron to help Echo and Basch out and possibly die laughing at a guy like Basch in a pink apron.

Balthier was curled up in the bed and Alyss walked over to pull the cover up when Balthier rolled over with his eyes open.

"I am so sorry! I just thought you looked cold so I was just trying to help."

"It is no problem really, I haven't slept right since I had to kill my father. I knew he was obsessed to the point he would never be the man I knew as a father but to kill your own father...he raised me single handedly after my mother died when I was a child."

Alyss wrapped her arms around the man. "No one should have to kill their own father. I am sorry you had to do that and I am sorry your mother is dead. You have my condolences."

Balthier gave her a weak smile and shook his head a bit. "Everyone has lost someone in this debacle. As hard as it may seem I will live and go on with my life and I know that. Thank you for your condolences."

"No problem we are partners now right? Come on if you go to the kitchen you can see Basch in a pink frilly apron and that should cheer you up."

Balthier followed her and was also amused by the man in the pink frilly apron taking bread out of the oven.

"You where right that did cheer me up a bit."

Echo glared at him as well as she was setting the table. "Really he just wants to help out is that such a bad thing?"

"This from the woman who's father was named Basil? What was your mother's name Echo?" Alyss asked wondering if the plant theme would hold true here.

"My mother's name was Galabana."

"Galabana as in Galabana lilies? No wonder she doesn't find this funny her whole family was named after plants." Balthier stated as Echo sighed and finish setting the table.

"I am going to go wash my hands and then we can have dinner." Echo said walking off to the bathroom to wash her hands.

While there she looked at the mirror and shook her head at the thought of her previous life with talk of her parents. "This is my life now. I am sorry father and mother for the fact I am not the daughter you both wanted me to be. I am sorry I married in a forced action and not for love...I am sorry I-"

Fran was listening outside the door and had opened it to see the woman. "You are no disgrace to your family. I abandon my home and I am an outsider to them who is not allowed in their Wood anymore. I feel though this stretches past that."

Echo looked away from Fran and Fran knew she was right. "You do not want to admit that you loved a man like him, a Hume who craved power."

"I did not love him! Any feelings I had where because even in a situation where I had no choice he didn't mistreat me."

"If you didn't love him you would have sold the ring when you where working to get an airship. You do not chose who you love sadly and that is perhaps the greatest ordeal some have to go through. I hope yours isn't a huge battle."

Fran was right, she could have sold the ring long ago but she never did. She felt horrible upon hearing Vayne had died so much she cried herself to sleep many nights after it had happened but she always just took it for the fact they where married once and he was nice to her and she could even say they where friends.

"We should be getting to eat with the other's Fran. It doesn't matter anyway he is dead."

In the dining area connected to the the kitchen Basch had already served the food and put the apron in the things that needed to be washed basket. Alyss and Balthier where sitting together talking about types of airship while Larsa and Basch carried on about Queen Ashe and their previous adventure.

"I just wish he would have kissed me goodbye." Echo said under her breath to where Fran could hear her.

"You loved him enough to let him be free, you gave him the wings to fly and he flew into the sun." Fran respond which went unnoticed by those eating for they where in their own conversations.

Echo nodded and pulled out the ring from her pocket and put it back on her ring finger. Vayne no matter how power obsessed he was would remain close to her forever and for now the ring would be the reminder of the man who was nicer and not desiring power even if that man only existed for a moment.

Echo walked over to sit down with Basch and talked about her childhood with him.

After dinner Basch offered to wash the dishes and Alyss went to her room with Echo for the night.

"You are wearing the ring?" Alyss asked as she slipped on her nightgown.

"Yeah, there should be a reminder that Vayne wasn't all evil somewhere in the world even if it is just a ring."

Alyss was a bit shocked at her words. She knew one day Echo would admit she love Vayne but who knew that day was coming anytime soon.

"Echo...He loved you, you know? Remember that book I was reading at the palace, it was his journal. You walked out of the bathroom right as I got to where he said he loved you. I should have told you sooner but I just thought it would burden you until you could admit you loved him."

Echo began to wonder how everyone else saw this love she had except herself. She put that aside and smiled at the though Alyss had given her. Vayne had loved her and that for now was all that mattered.

Echo laid down on the bed with Alyss and turned to look at her. "Thank you, that gives me some solace. Now what about you love story? You should be concerned with a tragedy when you are living a romantic comedy."

"He has some things to get put in the past first. Anyway not all of us get married before we fall in love with the guy Echo." Alyss joked as she turned the lamp off.

"Oh come on that is a low blow the marriage was forced and you know it. It was marry Vayne Solidor or be found a traitor and killed. Personally I loved the option that had me live."

The bickering continued until the two had been to tired to continue and they fell asleep. Each dreamed of their situations and what could be done with them. Alyss was waiting for Balthier to be ready to open his heart after his father's death and for Echo it was learning to acknowledge and let go of the past at the same time. Each task in it's own right would be hard to achieve.

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A/N This chapter title comes form the ending theme for the game "Kiss me goodbye". Also most of the line during Fran and Echo's talk reflect lyrics of the song.


End file.
